On Development

There is a group of Christian missionaries who have come to Benque from Texas to build a house for a family here. The family receiving this grandiose gesture of kindness has no responsibility to pay for this, or do anything in return for the new house they'll receive (as far as I know). The need is certainly there: a woman lives with her invalid husband and 8 children in a house that, while it was still standing, was on the verge of collapse. The house has since been demolished and a new one started. I am not sure how this group of missionaries found this family specifically to build for but a huge favor is certainly being done. I became aware of this group one day when I began seeing white people, in groups of two or three, walking around Benque. Its strange for me to see white people in my community, aside from a certain few that I've come to know or recognize as residents here. So I began investigating.

I asked my friend Yoli about these individuals. "Are there new teachers in Benque already?" The Catholic high school in Benque has a continual rotation of volunteer teachers who come from the states and live and work here for one year stints, sometimes longer. We speculated, but she didn't know.

A few days later, I went to visit my host mom. Sitting on her porch she told me that a house was being built just down the street from her and I learned that indeed, white people were responsible for this random act of kindness. Apparently they had already been around for a week or so but I hadn't noticed them, perhaps because where they are building is off my beaten track. Anyway, after visiting with my host mom for a while, I decided to walk down and see for myself. Sure enough, there laid a freshly built wooden deck as the foundation for a house. Saws and hammers were in full use and so I didn't bother to chat with anyone over the noise, but merely watched them kind of awkwardly. Finally one older man looked over at me and said, "Hi." We exchanged pleasantries. I informed them about what I do here and where I work, inviting them to check out the House of Culture if they're interested in learning about the history of Benque or just seeing something new. Sitting nearby and just slightly out of the way were three kids I know, who will also be living in the house once its built.

This "mission" came up in conversation at a recent regional PC volunteer meeting and one strongly opinionated, loudly expressive volunteer scoffed at the news of this, proclaiming her strong dislike for people who come in and carry out development in this way. I can recognize her sentiment, certainly, but I don't think this project needs to be condemned completely. The dramatic effect of a group of excited individuals descending upon a huge project such as building a new house and accomplishing the task in a matter of 3 weeks is admirable. They are directly and rapidly helping one family in need. But why are they doing this? They must feel so good and proud to say that they went to Belize and built a house (so quickly!) for a family who truly needed an upgrade. Indeed, they get to take photos even and present this tangible evidence of their amazingly generous acts of kindness. But why did they decide to do this? To feel good? To help in some way? Do they have ties to Belize or is it just an easy, mostly English speaking destination where the US dollar can be stretched a bit? Do they feel some sort of obligation as privileged, white people & Christians to help others who are less fortunate? Obviously I wasn't posing these questions to them as they worked away, hot and sweaty and swatting at thirsty mosquitoes. I'm curious but mostly I pose these questions rhetorically.

I don't presume to have answers on these questions of development either, only questions and a curiosity on the matter. Their mission makes me think of my own mission here as a Peace Corps volunteer. There is quite a contrast between the works that we're doing.

 They came in and picked one project, offered their time and money and resources, and organized themselves to complete one tangible project and get out.
  I came in, lived with a family, spent the first four months or so getting to know people, and then slowly picked up small projects here and there without hugely tangible results, but that have been a significant help to individuals and groups of local people.
 They are here for three weeks. I am here for 26 months.
 They built a house. I built relationships. 
 They came in with money and a little time. I came in with LOTS of time and not much money, not immediately however.
 Almost one year into my time here, and I've just now applied for and been awarded a small grant to fund a garden project/environmental youth group here. I'm approaching development from a very different avenue.

Honestly, our experiences cannot be compared so easily. The work they came to do is so drastically different from my own but seeing them plop right into this wonderful and quiet little community made me think on development and questions arose. After asking, "Why are these white people here?", alternately I asked myself, "Why am I here?" They are building a house, and what am I doing? Who am I helping? And what good is all this development for?

The work I do is often not as tangible or with such immediate results but Peace Corps is not all about that. I've become a fixture in Benque; I've built new relationships and acquaintances. By investing time here rather than money I get to know what people are working on here and all around Belize and therefore I get to jump into their projects, helping them be successful in their goals, rather than simply going about my own agenda. Through the resources I bring as an individual and using those I'm equipped with by the Peace Corps, I am ready to start new projects if I know they'll be sustainable and supported once I'm gone or otherwise help people help themselves with their own ideas and initiatives.

There are so many ways to go about development. And while I think its pretty cool that this family is getting a new house, I don't entirely appreciate the fact that they have no investment in it; that the project is so finite with so little sustainability attached to the efforts of these missionaries; or that the missionaries come in and confirm the notion that Americans have money and here they come to give us something... free handouts in Belize definitely offset some of the more sustainable development that others try to work towards. Yet - in some ways I'm sure they help individuals immensely.

I don't presume to have answers to questions on development. I'm not even sure I have a stable 'stance' on the issue. I am only posing questions and trying to work through my own thoughts and curiosities and perhaps create a conversation about this topic and others. To end this post I am adding here the Peace Corps' mission. For more information about this information or other details of the Peace Corps you can visit their website at: www.peacecorps.gov

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship.

The Peace Corps' mission has three simple goals:

1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.